A surprise proposal at Four Seasons Hotel Seattle

The four of us gathered in the perfectly appointed living room of my spacious suite, enjoying the painterly sunset over Seattle’s Elliott Bay and the Olympic Mountains. We sipped Washington wine and nervously nibbled on items from the bountiful fruit and cheese plate. And we waited.

Shifting in our seats, we remarked on the amazing service, the warm welcome, our stunning guest rooms and the perfect location of Four Seasons Hotel Seattle. And we waited.

Rumble, rumble. My cell phone shifted on the table. A quick glance revealed the message we’d been waiting for: “She said YES! We’ll see you downstairs at 7:10.”

“How exciting!” we all exclaimed, nearly in unison. The “she” in this tale of love, romance and surprise is Lyndsay, who, with the force of one three-letter word, became my son’s fiancée.

Ben, the oldest of our three boys, and the other half of this newly minted pair, had just popped the question in room 902. Meanwhile, Lyndsay was unaware that four parents were waiting patiently, two floors below, for her final answer.

Making it memorable

Earlier in the week, I had shared a Valentine’s Day lunch with Ben, during which he told me of his ring purchase and his desire to ask Lyndsay to be his wife. The challenge, he explained, was to ask for her hand in a way that would be memorable and special.

We compared notes and discussed options, and he went off to ponder his plan. A few days later, I received a text message. He had decided to surprise her in Seattle, where she planned to attend the wedding of a sorority sister. And, he thought, it would be nice if the parents could be on hand to help celebrate.

As the family’s official travel planner, I sent off a few emails and made several phone calls. The surprise began to take shape.

And that’s how Peter and I came to be seated across from Vicki and Norm, parents of the bride-to-be. Earlier in the evening, Ben had completed part one of the surprise plan when he plucked Lyndsay from a gathering of girlfriends and brought her to Four Seasons, this luxurious enclave perched on the hillside overlooking the water and the snow-capped mountain range in the distance.

And now that he had popped the question, and the bottle of champagne that had chilled all afternoon, the surprises would continue to unfold.

Dinner for six

With the affirmative response in hand, we moved to the hotel’s ART Restaurant, named for the extensive collection that adorns the hotel’s interior. Our beautifully set round of six awaited, with more champagne at the ready. Lyndsay still did not know the four parents were in the house. Not wanting to spoil the next level of surprise, we snuck into the restaurant like well-trained operatives. When the newly engaged pair was shown to their table for “two,” she looked thrilled to see that she and Ben would be sharing this special evening with family.

Our exquisite dinner went on for hours, as we luxuriated in the news, toasted the happy couple, shared stories of their childhoods and even revisited our own engagement moments. We sent texts and photos to other family members in between sips of champagne. The extraordinary culinary offerings were made ever so special by the personal service provided by Giorgio Saturnino and Ali Habboula. At one point, even Chef Kerry Sear appeared tableside to wish the couple well.

ART specializes in urban Northwest cuisine and draws from the bounty of nearby Pike Place Market. We enjoyed delightful salads crafted with king oyster mushrooms and local greens, a magnificent cheese course, Indian-spiced local salmon with lobster, and Painted Hills beef filets. Giorgio and Ali chose just the right wines from the 12-foot-high wine wall and seamlessly timed each course with the skill of surgeons.

We all agreed that the caring and enthusiasm shown by the “co-conspirators” who orchestrated our dinner experience elevated the evening to the loftiest plane possible.

The Planning Begins

The next morning, the new mothers-in-law- to-be met in the peaceful womb of the spa for a relaxing visit and to discuss the exciting turn of events. Where would the wedding take place? What time of year? Should we schedule a girls’ getaway to mull over the options?

“Let’s just enjoy this moment,” Vicki wisely suggested as we shuffled in our spa slippers and robes to our appointment rooms.

Calmed by a wonderful massage and facial, we met Lyndsay, Ben, Norm and Peter for an afternoon of Seattle exploration. First we had lunch at nearby Pike Place Market, followed by a tour of the Seattle Art Museum and a stroll on the waterfront.

While the newly engaged couple went off to their friends’ wedding, the elders met in the comfortable hotel lounge for a cheese and wine tasting. Once again, Giorgio was on hand to explain the local, domestic and imported selections laid out on a 10-foot-long Douglas fir table. With grace and charm, he suggested just the right wine to complement our choices.

The four parents spent the remainder of the evening speaking lovingly of our children and discussing the events that would unfold in the months ahead.

On the Horizon

The next morning we made a pilgrimage to the original Starbucks, a short walk from the hotel, before heading in three different directions. Peter and I would return to Phoenix. Norm and Vicki were headed back to Spokane. Ben and Lyndsay had decided to extend their stay on this sunny Seattle Sunday.

That afternoon, the pair sent a picture to each of us from aboard the ferry. The hotel and the Seattle skyline filled the background. Their sparkling smiles told the story of a happy weekend and the excitement that lit their horizon.

I set some of the photos from our adventure to music with a memory montage, too. You can view it here.